Metro area profile · New York
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area market data
How the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area compares with other metro areas for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 1,155,653
- −0.8% since 2020
- Households
- 501,549
- Median household income
- $72,237
- +25.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $226,100
- Jobs located here
- 547,190
- Highest market score
- 76
- Mortgage brokers and lenders, #14 of 373 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area has an estimated 1,155,653 people and 501,549 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area from 2020 to 2025 at −0.8%, against +3.1% for the U.S. Median household income in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area is $72,237, 11% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 25.4%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area runs highest on clothing, shoes and related services (an index of 105, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on pets (67).
Of the business types scored in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area, mortgage brokers and lenders (76), real estate businesses (72) and real estate agents and brokers (72) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For mortgage brokers and lenders, that ranks #14 of 373 scored metro areas.
The Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area takes in 2 counties: Erie County and Niagara County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for funeral homes (43% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for mortgage brokers and lenders (81% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 76 | #14 of 373 | 38 | 0.8 | Index only | 589 | 31 |
| Real estate | 72 | #31 of 387 | 1,017 | 20.3 | Index only | 198 | 546 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 72 | #31 of 387 | 838 | 16.7 | Index only | 191 | 252 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 72 | #36 of 387 | 245 | 4.9 | $6.2M | 130 | 308 |
| Home repair trades | 71 | #32 of 387 | 490 | 9.8 | $3.1M | 127 | 599 |
| Electricians | 70 | #44 of 383 | 102 | 2.0 | $14.8M | 123 | 210 |
| Property management | 65 | #60 of 374 | 103 | 2.1 | Index only | 153 | 185 |
| Roofing and gutters | 63 | #87 of 381 | 143 | 2.9 | $10.6M | 125 | 81 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 61 | #53 of 197 | 16 | 0.3 | $36.1M | 147 | 26 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 61 | #125 of 387 | 475 | 9.5 | $4M | 131 | 947 |
| Dry cleaners | 60 | #89 of 272 | 51 | 1.0 | $21.3M | 136 | 38 |
| Child care and preschools | 60 | #116 of 387 | 210 | 4.2 | $1.3M | 128 | 271 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 60 | #127 of 387 | 699 | 13.9 | $1.6M | 122 | 369 |
| Home inspectors | 59 | #70 of 243 | 38 | 0.8 | Index only | 88 | 17 |
| Pest control | 58 | #116 of 345 | 47 | 0.9 | $13.1M | 128 | 32 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 58 | #138 of 387 | 1,017 | 20.3 | $1.1M | 121 | 439 |
| Laundromats | 57 | #127 of 364 | 68 | 1.4 | $16M | 128 | 32 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 52 | #143 of 290 | 24 | 0.5 | $15.9M | 116 | 20 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 51 | #182 of 387 | 3,433 | 68.4 | $168K | 110 | 1,435 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 51 | #190 of 386 | 184 | 3.7 | $3.1M | 100 | 48 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 50 | #194 of 387 | 252 | 5.0 | $2.3M | 129 | 680 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 49 | #205 of 387 | 851 | 17.0 | $3.9M | 114 | 508 |
| Convenience stores | 49 | #206 of 387 | 381 | 7.6 | $8.6M | 109 | 192 |
| House cleaning | 48 | #198 of 375 | 61 | 1.2 | $10.1M | 158 | 328 |
| Spas and skin care | 47 | #213 of 387 | 454 | 9.1 | $1.1M | 121 | 116 |
| Car washes and detailing | 47 | #221 of 387 | 150 | 3.0 | $2.5M | 101 | 53 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 46 | #214 of 387 | 546 | 10.9 | $1.1M | 107 | 377 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 46 | #215 of 387 | 4,969 | 99.1 | $382K | 103 | 2,153 |
| Grocery stores | 46 | #221 of 387 | 299 | 6.0 | $11M | 118 | 316 |
| Physical therapy | 44 | #233 of 386 | 254 | 5.1 | $2.3M | 95 | 147 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 42 | #257 of 387 | 2,690 | 53.6 | $705K | 106 | 911 |
| Nail salons | 42 | #265 of 387 | 226 | 4.5 | $2.1M | 127 | 155 |
| Pizza | 41 | #261 of 387 | 434 | 8.7 | $4.4M | 86 | 947 |
| Barbershops | 41 | #273 of 387 | 303 | 6.0 | $1.6M | 84 | 23 |
| Hair salons | 41 | #274 of 387 | 1,053 | 21.0 | $457K | 106 | 337 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 41 | #286 of 387 | 2,094 | 41.8 | $230K | 108 | 642 |
| Tire shops | 40 | #263 of 386 | 160 | 3.2 | $2.4M | 95 | 63 |
| Gas stations | 40 | #264 of 387 | 382 | 7.6 | $2.3M | 98 | 328 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 40 | #277 of 387 | 445 | 8.9 | $4.3M | 103 | 321 |
| Gyms | 40 | #277 of 387 | 354 | 7.1 | $1.2M | 92 | 169 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 39 | #280 of 387 | 516 | 10.3 | $3.7M | 99 | 285 |
| Veterinarians | 38 | #270 of 384 | 124 | 2.5 | $2.5M | 91 | 115 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 37 | #284 of 387 | 383 | 7.6 | $1.6M | 96 | 943 |
| Auto repair and car care | 36 | #298 of 387 | 1,495 | 29.8 | $255K | 95 | 671 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 35 | #290 of 381 | 120 | 2.4 | $3.2M | 103 | 113 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 34 | #325 of 387 | 725 | 14.5 | $584K | 88 | 336 |
| Insurance agencies | 32 | #296 of 387 | 611 | 12.2 | $1.1M | 91 | 417 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 31 | #315 of 347 | 119 | 2.4 | $3.6M | 88 | 169 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 29 | #352 of 387 | 252 | 5.0 | $1.7M | 83 | 167 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 28 | #337 of 385 | 275 | 5.5 | $2.2M | 77 | 583 |
| Chiropractors | 27 | #355 of 386 | 326 | 6.5 | $1.8M | 74 | 157 |
| Funeral homes | 26 | #334 of 377 | 149 | 3.0 | $487K | 72 | 88 |
| Auto repair shops | 25 | #351 of 387 | 959 | 19.1 | $398K | 89 | 523 |
| Pet businesses | 24 | #360 of 387 | 467 | 9.3 | $659K | 75 | 265 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 21 | #365 of 386 | 180 | 3.6 | $1.7M | 67 | 105 |
| Pet stores | 16 | #377 of 382 | 99 | 2.0 | $3.1M | 69 | 45 |
Household spending in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $381.5M | $761 | 79 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $890.4M | $1,775 | 68 |
| Food away from home | $1.9B | $3,782 | 93 |
| Groceries | $3.3B | $6,549 | 104 |
| Personal care products and services | $481.1M | $959 | 95 |
| Child care and other personal services | $268.7M | $536 | 92 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $423.5M | $844 | 86 |
| Medical and dental services | $576.8M | $1,150 | 89 |
| Pets | $307.7M | $613 | 67 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $1.1B | $2,167 | 105 |
| Vehicle insurance | $698.4M | $1,393 | 71 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $1.5B | $3,010 | 100 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $616.8M | $1,230 | 87 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $8.7B | $17,416 | 105 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 1,155,653−0.8% since 2020
- Households
- 501,549
- Median age
- 42.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 67%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.6
- Land area
- 1,565 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 742
- Median household income
- $72,237+25.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $96,175
- Median home value
- $226,100
- Jobs located here
- 547,190
- Daytime population
- 1,174,035Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area 2
- Erie County, NY950,622 people
- Niagara County, NY210,721 people
Other markets based in New York 12
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area19,723,168 people
- Rochester, NY metro area1,058,413 people
- Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metro area906,052 people
- Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY metro area704,836 people
- Syracuse, NY metro area656,410 people
- Utica-Rome, NY metro area288,881 people
- Binghamton, NY metro area245,242 people
- Kingston, NY metro area182,601 people
- Glens Falls, NY metro area126,039 people
- Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metro area115,040 people
- Ithaca, NY metro area104,537 people
- Elmira, NY metro area82,147 people
Questions
How fast is the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area at 1,155,653 people in 2025, down 0.8% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 501,549 households. Median household income rose 25.4% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area spend?
Households in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area spend about $8.7B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $3.3B on groceries and $1.9B on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area spend the most on clothing, shoes and related services (an index of 105, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on pets (67).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area are for mortgage brokers and lenders (76), real estate businesses (72) and real estate agents and brokers (72). The Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area ranks #14 of 373 scored metro areas for mortgage brokers and lenders.
How does the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area is $72,237 a year, 11% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 0.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $226,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for funeral homes (43% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for mortgage brokers and lenders (81% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in New York · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.